Strength in the Midst of Your Battle

On July 16, 2016, we watched 1,000 single moms fill a venue here in Baton Rouge for the National TLSM Single Moms Conference. We stood in awe of their tenacity and willingness to learn and grow with one another. We were overwhelmed with tears, as we stood in gratitude that our organization had been able to pull off the largest single moms gathering in the nation, right here in Louisiana. But perhaps what I was most impressed with was the strength of every woman standing in that room – the strength that we all possess as moms, as women.

Life isn’t easy. We will face battles. We will face battles from our jobs, relationships, past hurts or disappointments, maybe career plans, or motherhood in general. Financial woes will come. Parenting challenges will rear their head. Life is a battle. My greatest desire is for women to learn how to battle well. We must learn how to move from strength to strength. The temporary circumstances of a battle cannot define us. We must forge through to get to the other side. The following list can help you find strength in the midst of whatever battle you may be facing today.

Strength is about pushing through, when everything else inside you says quit. Strength isn’t about quitting, even when that seems like the obvious thing to do. Too often in life, particularly now when we live in an instant-gratification world, it is easier and more acceptable to quit, than to forge through. The strongest people I know are the ones who have gotten really good and simply putting one foot in front of the other and forging through, even when it seemed impossible.

Strength is developed through hardship.Eek! We don’t like to hear that, do we? When I see women who can do 50 push-upsor maybe hold the plank position for several minutes, I admire it. I admire a woman who can bench press heavy weights or run marathons, but I wouldn’t be ignorant not to recognize that those muscles were developed through hardship. They were developed through battles. Your strength will come the exact. Same. Way! Your strength comes through battles. The more battles you face, the stronger you become. It comes through learning to battle well and endure and exercise that muscle.Strength isn’t developed on the mountain-top, when everything that your foot touches is blessed. We’regoing to have to go through some things that build our character, strengthen our integrity, and test our faith. Strength is birthed out of desperation. And one day, there will be a woman that will come across your path who you will be able to help and encourage, because of those battles you endured.

Strength doesn’t always look like we think it should.Strength will come in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. Strength isn’t loud and it isn’t a bully. Sometimes, your strength will simply be your ability to be silent, when someone has lied about you. Maybe your strength will be the ability to pray for someone who has wronged you and forgive them, even when they don’t deserve it. Sometimes, strength comes by simply being able to get up and get dressed after a long night with your crying baby! Each of our strength comes differently and it looks different!

If you are a single mom looking for support and strength today, check out The Life of a Single Mom! We are hosting a Single Parenting 101 class at the Woman’s Wellness Center on April7, 2017. For details and registration, click HERE.

The Life of a Single Mom is a national organization headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that focuses on seeing no single mom walk alone. The organization serves more than 50,000 single mothers annually from around the United States and more than 2,000 in Greater Baton Rouge through their support group network, outreach event, educational classes, online communities, and more. For more information, visit www.thelifeofasinglemom.com.